On Monday, December 2, 2024, an airstrike with contested responsibility allegedly perpetrated by the Russian military and/or Syrian regime forces struck al-Jalaa Street in central Idlib city, Syria, reportedly killing one civilian, 62-year-old man Ahmad bin Mohammad Subhi Asmar, and injuring 13 others, including a young man and several civilians in the vicinity of the Shehab Mosque. The mosque was severely damaged from the strike, which was reportedly carried out with the use of vacuum missiles.

The confirmed fatality was an owner of the Hajj Ghazal Café, known locally as “Abu Subhi.” While some early reports indicated he had been rescued alive and taken to intensive care, his death was later confirmed by multiple community sources, including Green Idlib City Obituaries, which posted: “Today, Monday, December 2, 2024, Hajj Ahmed bin Muhammad Subhi Asmar, 62 years old, passed away as a result of the airstrike on the city of Idlib today on Al-Jalaa Street. To God we belong and to Him we shall return.”

Pictures of the victim were shared on social media. Facebook user Green Idlib City Obituaries Page shared a picture of Ahmad bin Mohammad Subhi Asmar standing in a garden setting surrounded by large tropical plants. He was dressed in a dark sweater with a red collar. His solemn expression and domestic background conveyed the civilian character of his life before the reported strike.

According to SCD News, the strikes caused one death and 13 injuries. @snhr (Syrian Network for Human Rights) also confirmed 13 civilian injuries and noted significant destruction to the Shehab Mosque, stating: “On Dec 2, Syrian regime warplanes bombed Idlib city’s al-Jalaa Street, injuring 13 civilians, and partially destroying and heavily damaging Shehab Mosque.” The tweet was accompanied by an image of the partly destroyed mosque – the windows were blown out, and part of the brick wall collapsed.

X/Twitter user @SyriaCivilDefe reported that their teams rescued and provided first aid to a young man from beneath the rubble following airstrikes by regime warplanes in the same area. They also shared a picture where four rescue workers—members of the Syrian Civil Defence (White Helmets)—pulled a dust-covered man from inside a collapsed structure. The man appeared dazed and weak, his skin entirely coated with grey particulate, indicating prolonged entrapment under rubble. His eyes were wide, and his body posture semi-upright, suggesting possible injury or disorientation. The rescuers were operating in a confined interior space with severe wall damage and low visibility due to dust clouds. The men wore standard-issue rescue helmets, one bearing a mounted flashlight, indicating low-light conditions.

Facebook user Abd allateef al hamdi shared a video showing the direct aftermath of the strike on al-Jalaa Street. The street was covered with dust and rubble, while a destroyed chair or bench and a burnt car could be seen. The video was filmed amidst loud ambulance or fire sirens. The author of the video said that he was filming al-Jalaa Street in Idlib.

A similar video posted on Facebook by Bn al ammari showed the street covered with rubble and concrete chunks, a building with a damaged facade on the left, and two damaged cars. Loud sirens accompanied the chaos after the devastating strike.

Social media users, including Mohammed Zabadan and Revolution on Facebook, also shared images showing the thick cloud of smoke billowing in the sky right after the explosion.

When belligerents were identified, responsibility for the strike was contested. SCD and SNHR directly attributed the attack to Syrian regime warplanes. However, Facebook user Mohammed Zabadan reported that Russian warplanes were involved, alleging that vacuum missiles were used: “Explosion near the clock roundabout on Al-Jalaa Street. Russian warplanes with vacuum missiles on Idlib city.”

The local time of the incident is unknown.